Don’t start planning another wedding for Tom Cruise just yet. With rumors circulating that Cynthia Jorge is now dating the action star – following a night out a a club and the following tabloid headline – a friend of the restaurant manager tells Perez Hilton that, yes, Jorge knows Cruise. And, yes, alcohol was shared between the two. HOWEVER: “Cynthia told me they went out for drinks and it was nothing but a casual night out. She said he’s a nice guy.” The insider added that there’s no romance between Jorge and the A-lister, who is in the market for a new young gal pal after splitting with Katie Holmes. Not to worry, though. The Church of Scientology is all over it.
Looks like Taken 2 could be subtitled All in the Family , or maybe Bad-Ass & Daughter . Liam Neeson is back as retired CIA operative Bryan Mills, and based on the plot points covered by the two new trailers posted below, he enlists daughter Kim ( Maggie Grace ), who he gallantly rescued in the first Taken , to assist him in saving her Mom (Famke Janssen) from the bad guys. Turns out the motive for moms kidnapping is familial in nature, too: She’s been taken by the father of the kidnapper Mills killed back in the first flick. And if Neeson didn’t suck you in the first time around with his unflappable, I-will-make-you-regret-ever-messing-with-me charisma, he opens the first trailer by having some fun with his character’s certitude. Taken 2 is directed by the memorably named Olivier Megaton, whose credits include Colombiana and Transporter 3 , and we’re happy to see that the script was written by the same team that made the first Taken such a taut experience: Luc Besson ( The Professional and La Femme Nikita ) and Robert Mark Kamen ( Karate Kid , the Transporter movies), whose Kamen Estate vineyards makes some delicious vino, by the way. Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
Harmony Korine ‘s Spring Breakers premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival is still days away, but festival-goers in Venice will catch the world debut Wednesday and already the film is making some initial waves with “raunchy” and “raucous” being just two operative words to describe the feature about a quartet of sexy college girls whose plan to rob a fast food joint to fund their spring break getaway goes awry. And that is just the beginning. The film stars Selena Gomez , James Franco , Vanessa Hudgens and Heather Morris. Franco plays their unexpected savior – so-to-speak. A local thug, he unexpectedly bails them out of jail and takes them under his wing and even manages to win them over, leading them into the wildest spring break ever and into a bit more crime. In Venice, Selena Gomez who once starred in the Emmy-winning Wizards of Waverly Place acknowledged that some of her fans may find her role a bit of a surprise. “Obviously I know that coming from Disney Channel gives you kind of a brand in a way,” the 20-year-old told reporters in Venice, according to Reuters . “People do put a label on you. I know that I have younger fans, and this is an opportunity for myself to kind of grow. It is a little shocking, I think, for the younger audiences … but I think it was right for me. I did things I didn’t even know I could do on the movie and I do think it was because I trusted Harmony.” Gomez had apparently been asked to play an even racier character in the film, but opted for the comparatively more staid Faith. The 20 year-old actress said that her character in the film was her speed at least for now. “I just didn’t think I was ready for it, and I do think that Faith is right for me at this time in my career and in my life,” she said in Venice. “Of course eventually I’m going to kind of work my way up to that I think.” Fluorescent bikinis, robberies and hard beach partying aside, The Telegraph said that Spring Breakers actually does not go “far enough,” saying it is just another “mainstream Hollywood teen comedy.” That is a surprise coming from the writer of 1995’s seminal Kids and his last Toronto offering Trash Humpers . Others will undoubtedly have their say. [ Sources: Reuters , The Telegraph ]
The Toronto International Film Festival annually boasts one of the deepest and glitziest line-ups of the year, and while there are many under-the-radar discoveries to be made, TIFF can be a very effective launching pad for upcoming studio releases and Oscar hopefuls alike. With Tom Hanks, Ben Affleck , Ryan Gosling , Paul Thomas Anderson , Kristen Stewart , Jake Gyllenhaal , Spike Lee , Keira Knightley , Bill Murray and more bringing films to Toronto, which films and A-listers are set to make the biggest splash at the fest starting tomorrow night? [ PHOTO GALLERY: The 15 Toronto Titles Most Likely To Succeed ] Argo , Ben Affleck Headed to theaters in October via Warner Bros., Ben Affleck ’s third directorial effort is also his most ambitious to date following his strong crime thrillers Gone Baby Gone and The Town . Based on the true story of a joint Hollywood-CIA plot to rescue six diplomats during the Iran Hostage Crisis, Argo boasts a stellar supporting cast – Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Philip Baker Hall, Alan Arkin, Clea Duvall, and Kyle Chandler among them – anchored by Affleck himself as real life CIA operative Tony Mendez. Oscar buzz began last weekend at Telluride , where Affleck earned kudos for his work in front of and behind the camera. The Master , Paul Thomas Anderson Paul Thomas Anderson’s much-anticipated drama has navigated its own unorthodox course of promotion through secret screenings and teaser trailers ahead of its September 14 bow in limited release. ( Read Movieline’s sneak review here .) A highly successful official bow at the Venice Film Festival before a stop in Toronto only shored up more critical support for the period drama, about an ex-seaman (Joaquin Phoenix) drawn into the inner circle of an L. Ron Hubbard-esque figure (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Expect Anderson’s latest to keep riding the wave all the way through awards season and pique interest beyond the art house with its parallels to Scientology . The Place Beyond the Pines , Derek Cianfrance In The Place Beyond The Pines Ryan Gosling – tattooed, blond, and a biker – reunites with director Derek Cianfrance, who captured one of Gosling’s finest and most wrenching performances in Blue Valentine . Here Cianfrance pits Gosling’s vagabond-outlaw motorcyclist against an ambitious young cop (Bradley Cooper) in what Toronto Film Festival artistic director Cameron Bailey calls “a study of vengeance, memory and fate.” Rose Byrne and Eva Mendes (who’s been dating Gosling, ZOMG) also star. If you loved the Baby Goose in Drive , how can you resist? On the Road , Walter Salles Despite mixed reviews out of Cannes , Walter Salles’ adaptation of the Beat generation classic is primed to make a splash upon release this December – mostly thanks to the star power (and, let’s be real, the tabloid power) of Kristen Stewart , whose turn as the wild Marylou marks the beginning of a departure from her well-known Twilight alter ego. But On the Road could also boost the profile of Garrett Hedlund ( TRON ) – and the additional wattage of Kirsten Dunst , Viggo Mortensen , and Amy Adams doesn’t hurt, either. Looper , Rian Johnson Rian Johnson ( Brick , Brothers Bloom ) is back with a sci-fi tale with a twist: Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars underneath a prosthetic Bruce Willis nose as Joe, a “looper” – a hitman who offs targets sent back in time from the future. When he encounters his future self and fails to finish the job, Joe finds himself both hunter and hunted as time runs out. After premiering on opening night of the Toronto Film Festival, Looper will hit theaters on September 28 – a surprising must-see for sci-fi fans.
The 46th annual Country Music Association Awards will air live November 1 on ABC from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. The ceremony will be hosted by Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley, but to whom will these heavyweights hand the hardware? Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan (pictured) announced the finalists for the five major categories on Good Morning America today. Did your favorite make the cut? Female Vocalist of the Year Kelly Clarkson Miranda Lambert Martina McBride Taylor Swift Carrie Underwood Male Vocalist of the Year Jason Aldean Luke Bryan Eric Church Blake Shelton Keith Urban Vocal Group of the Year Eli Young Band Lady Antebellum Little Big Town The Band Perry Zac Brown Band Entertainer of the Year Jason Aldean Kenny Chesney Brad Paisley Blake Shelton Taylor Swift Album of the Year Chief, Eric Church For the Record, Miranda Lambert Home, Dierks Bentley Own the Night, Lady Antebellum Tailgates and Tanlines, Luke Bryan
Ever since Vanity Fair’s cover story alleged that members of the Church of Scientology vetted possible wives for Tom Cruise , Nazanin Boniadi has been in the spotlight. Little known if at all in the U.S., the Iranian-born, London-raised actress, whose friends call her “Naz,” has been referred to as the “Persian Audrey Hepburn.” Obviously it didn’t work out for Nazanin Boniadi, who’s appeared on General Hospital and How I Met Your Mother , and Cruise, who wed Katie Holmes in 2006. She isn’t quoted in the VF article, but director Paul Haggis (a known critic of the Church of Scientology) says that Boniadi shared her 2004-05 ordeal with him. Boniadi hit it off with him at first, but refused to indulge Tom Cruise in public displays of affection and was ultimately dispatched by Scientology higher-ups. From there she was sent to church headquarters in Florida, where she was punished and made to clean toilets with a toothbrush for speaking about Cruise. Reps for Cruise have denied the contents of the article, as has the Church, but not before it further fed into the firestorm over Scientology’s cult-like reputation. From the sound of it … Naz might’ve dodged a bullet on this one. [Photo: WENN.com]
There’s a reason that the inner workings of Scientology are still a mystery to many, and that reason involves an army of lawyers. But we’re going to go ahead and tell you the following story, albeit with a disclaimer: We’re just repeating what Vanity Fair said, so please get mad at them, not us! Thanks! When Tom Cruise and his third wife Katie Holmes divorced earlier this year, rumors spread that Katie left because she was worried about the Church of Scientology’s effect on her daughter. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg, according to a new Vanity Fair article that claims Iranian actress Nazanin Boniadi (left) was set up to “audition” for the role of Cruise’s girlfriend just before he got together with Holmes. Nazanin (who you might remember from Iron Man [2008] or her role as Nora on How I Met Your Mother ) was allegedly chosen as a potential bride for Cruise after an extensive search in 2004, given a physical and mental makeover (including an intense moth-long session ” where she was audited every day, a process in which she told a high-ranking Scientology official her innermost secrets and every detail of her sex life “) and flown to New York to “try out” for the part of Tom Cruise’s girlfriend. According to Vanity Fair ‘s Maureen Orth, ” in November 2004 Boniadi was flown to New York, where she met Cruise. That’s when she first sensed that this was possibly going to be an arranged marriage. For their first date Cruise and Boniadi went to dinner at Nobu with an entourage of Scientology aides, then to the skating rink at Rockefeller Center, which was closed to the public especially for them. The two spent that first night together but, according to several sources, they did not have sex…She was given a second confidentiality agreement specifically about Cruise to sign. ” But after two months of dating, Nazanin was (allegedly) deemed not good enough for Scientology’s golden boy and sent to the Celebrity Center in L.A., where she was (allegedly) told Tom “ wants someone with her own power—like [ex-wife] Nicole [Kidman]. ” After an (alleged) tearful confession to a friend (allegedly) led to an assignment scrubbing toilets and digging ditches, Nazanin and her mother, also a (up to that point) loyal Scientologist, left the church for good. Nazanin Boniadi may be new to you, but we bet you’ve heard of celebrity Scientologists Elisabeth Moss , Juliette Lewis , Linda Blair , Laura Prepon , Bijou Phillips and Kelly Preston …and you can see more of them all right here at MrSkin.com!
Also in Tuesday morning’s round-up of news briefs, a 3-D newcomer tops the weekend’s Specialty Box Office among newbies. Roman Coppola ‘s second directorial effort with Charlie Sheen is headed to theaters. And, the Locarno Film Festival appoints a new Artistic Director following the sudden departure of its former head. Venice Golden Lion Watch at Festival Midpoint: The Master Dominates Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master is emerging as the favorite half-way through the Venice Film Festival. Of the eight films that have officially screened, the post-war “relationship opus set agains the backdrop of a religion that resembles Scientology has received the best score in a festival poll of critics,” Deadline reports . Second Hobbit Movie Re-Named The third installment in the upcoming Hobbit movie trilogy, The Hobbit: There and Back Again will be released worldwide in July, 2014. That will be only seven months after the second film will be released. The second installment also has a new title, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug arriving December 13, 2013. It was originally titled There and Back Again . The first movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens December 14th of this year, Reuters reports . Specialty Box Office: Flying Swords 3-D Tops Newcomers; Samsara , Sleepwalk with Me Expand Strong New specialty movies mostly coasted through the holiday weekend, with newcomers ranging from fairly solid to weak in their Labor Day bows. Indomina Releasing’s IMAX 3D opener Flying Swords of Dragon Gate soared to the top of the pack with a decent $8,333 average for its opening in 15 locations, while Millennium’s Little Birds launched in one theater, grossing $8,314, Deadline reports . Roman Coppola’s Charles Swan III Heads to Theaters Roman Coppola’s A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III starring Charlie Sheen will roll out in theaters in February. NYC-based A24 picked up rights to the film, while digital platform FilmBuff will handle domestic digital distribution. Set in L.A. the comedy follows a graphic designer (Sheen) whose breaks and needs find repair after his girlfriend leaves him, TOH reports . Locarno Names Italian Journalist as New Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian, an Italian journalist, author and festival programmer will take over as the Locarno Film Festival’s Artistic Director following the sudden departure of Olivier Pere on August 27th, THR reports .
The process of finding Tom Cruise a potential wife through the Church of Scientology was revealed in Vanity Fair’s October cover story by Maureen Orth. Shelly Miscavige, the wife of Scientology head David Miscavige, led the audition to find a suitable new Mrs. Cruise after his divorce from Nicole Kidman. Actresses who were also Scientology members were called for the audition process held under the guise of “a new training film,” according to the article. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes , who were married from 2006-2012, met at some point after this; it’s unclear if she was also screened in this fashion. It’s pretty disturbing in any case if it’s even half true. Iranian-born actress Nazanin Boniadi, a strong candidate, passed the first stage of the audition process and then underwent a month-long preparation. After a makeover and signing an NDA, she was set up with Cruise in November 2004 … quickly realizing what her “very important mission” consisted of. During their relationship, she was audited and spent 2-3 hours purging any “negative thoughts about Tom.” Things went more or less well … for a time. Cruise started to have a series of complaints about her – read the full Vanity Fair expose for an explanation of what – and the relationship soon fizzled. Boniadi, who had moved in to Cruise’s home and shared his bedroom, was asked by his people to move out of his house. He never spoke to her again. After confiding in a Scientology friend about Cruise, she was ratted out. Allegedly, she was forced to scrub toilets with a toothbrush, clean bathroom tiles with acid, and dig ditches in the middle of the night as punishments for even talking about her relationship with the M:I-Ghost Protocol star to others. After that she was sent out to sell Scentology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s Dianetics on street corners. Boniadi is no longer involved in Scientology. A representative for Scientology, obviously, denied the story.
Okay, so you’ve devoured Maureen Orth’s Vanity Fair cover story on Scientology’s work-intensive but ill-fated attempt to pair Tom Cruise with Scientologist actress Nazanin Boniadi — a name that will launch a thousand late-night talk-show jokes. Now check out the elegant Boniadi’s sexy Nespresso ad with George Clooney , an overseas commercial that should also launch a thousand late-night talk show jokes. Once you’ve watched the clip below, imagine poor Ms. Boniadi scrubbing toilets and hawking copies of L. Ron Hubbard’s Dianetics on the street as, Orth reports, part of her punishment for revealing the whole Tom Cruise-psychodrama to a fellow Scientologist frenemy. (Well, she’s described as a “friend” in the Vanity Fair story, but what kind of friend turns around an narcs on someone who’s obviously distressed.) I don’t know about you, but thinking about the exotic Boniadi tearfully hunched over a commode makes me very sad, and I think it’s only right to beseech the gallant Mr. Clooney to swoop in and rescue his commercial co-star, preferably by motorcycle. Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
